ACES Weekly Buzz !

Welcome to the latest ACES Weekly Buzz! 🥳

This issue is packed with cool updates on how our ACES students are learning and how to approach our end of year events!

ACES Exhibition coming soon - The Events Management project team has been hard at work piecing together the ACES Timeline and working on the site design for the exhibition at Small Rave on K Road. "I have learnt a lot already about the history of ACES and it makes me real proud to know where we've come from, " says student Max one of our student planning team. See details below of how to book a space in one of our exhibition sessions in December.

In the ACES Cafe article - Isaak updates us with how his project group is slowly putting together the skills and training, that will be required to launch our very first ACES Cafe simulation at ACES Exhibition.

Finally we give some tips on how to "dress for success" at Prizegiving and a few ideas for students and whanau to consider making it easier to get ready for our main school event. We run some reminders on details for the Prizegiving in case you missed it last week and the Sport Academy Project Team give us an exciting update on the community impact they are having with their hard working project team.

This week the Event Management Project team have been working on bringing to life some of the amazing stories from ACES' rich history. From cultural trips to Tonga and Samoa, designing, manufacturing and installing Te Reo signs at MAGS farm and setting up an Apple Orchard (with seedlings donated to ACES by former MAGS Board chair Greg Moyle), to Basketball trips to Christchurch youth festival, to the infamous ACES at the RACES school connection event at Hampton Downs.

For 25 years, ACES has been at the cutting edge of creativity and innovation with respect to our curriculum and timetable, under our previous model (pre 2019) with passionate and committed providers based in the Community, to our current project based learning focused model (from 2019 to present). We look forward to sharing these Talanoa exploring ACES Past, Present and Future with our exhibition guests soon in December. Watch this space!

Last week students got to learn how to steam milk then pull an espresso, as they prep for the ACES exhibition. Project Leader Isaak Pohio says, " We had an amazing launch event at Lola Cafe in Ellerslie, where I organised with the owner for the students to interview staff, in order to see what a career pathway as a barista in a busy cafe looks like. "

"The experience was an eye opener for students, in terms of the hard work and pressure, hospitality staff must be able to endure in real work situations. The Lola launch also gave them ideas of how e.g. adding this skill base, to their work experience, could come in handy if planning to travel overseas in the future." Literacy and Numeracy are woven into all stages including planning of the shopping, pricing of menus for the simulation in order to look at the project from a commercial view, to written reflections on each phase of learning. We look forward to "tasting" the results at ACES exhibition in early December.😀

With the ACES Prizegiving fast approaching on Wednesday, December 10th at Alexandra Park, Greenlane, we know finding the perfect outfit will be top of mind. We strongly encourage students to explore budget-friendly and sustainable options like pre-loved, rented, and second-hand clothing. It’s a smart way to get a high-quality, unique look without the high price tag!

Here are some targeted options for finding affordable formal wear right here in Auckland:

📍 Local Second-Hand & Charity Shops (Op-Shops)

The Greenlane/Epsom/Onehunga areas are excellent for quality op-shopping, often carrying a great selection of formal wear:

• Dressmart: See link. This busy pre-loved boutique shop is famous for stocking the latest brands and styles for up to 50% of retail.

• Onehunga Op-Shop Hub: This area is famous for having multiple charity shops close together (including the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul) where you are very likely to find formal dresses, suits, and accessories.

• Mercy Hospice Shop (Ellerslie): Located a short distance from Alexandra Park, these shops often stock higher-end, quality donations, making them a potential goldmine for formal pieces.

• The Salvation Army Family Stores: Always a reliable source for diverse second-hand clothing nationwide. Find a Family Store near you in Auckland.

🤝 Renting Formal Wear

Renting could be an option for a one-off event like the prizegiving, especially for suits and designer dresses:

• Suit Hire (For Gentlemen): Look at specialist suit hire companies in Auckland like Frank Casey or Dorset Suit Hire. They offer a range of modern suits and tuxedos for a fraction of the purchase price. Some even offer student deals or packages. In our first year 2019 prizegiving, Enterprise Student Sam Puna set the standard, by completing a fitting and looked immaculate in a suit hired by his Nana, to make the event unforgettable.

• Dress Rental Studios (For the Wahine): Many Auckland rental boutiques, such as The Social Wardrobe (Mt Eden) or various online rental platforms (e.g., Designer Wardrobe Rental), offer designer gowns and cocktail dresses for a 4-7 day rental period. This is a brilliant way to wear a coveted brand affordably.

• Students at our 2024 prizegiving also wore Korowai and other special cultural garments showcasing their Maori and Pasifika cultures and heritage.

💻 Online Marketplaces & Consignment

For an even wider selection of pre-loved items:

• Trade Me and Facebook market place: Use search terms like "formal dress," "suit," or "ball gown" within the Clothing & Fashion categories for great local bargains.

• Designer Wardrobe or Recycle Boutique: These websites/stores specialise in selling and consigning quality pre-loved designer wear — a perfect way to grab a stunning formal piece for less.

Tip: Give yourself plenty of time to visit a few places—the hunt for a unique pre-loved outfit is part of the fun! We look forward to seeing you all dressed up to celebrate your ACES achievements!

In the first week of December ACES celebrates our very first ACES Exhibition. The show will feature a mix of tangible outcomes from our project-based learning programmes, live displays from our electives, video and music AV, along with our very own ACES cafe. Sessions will be 45 minutes long and car parking is available on a first come, first serve basis (limited to 10 only). All event management is being organised by our wonderful ACES Ākonga from both campuses.

If you would like to reserve a spot for you and your team, please email thelo@aces.school.nz. Places are limited to 20 people per session, so please ensure you book your spot early to avoid disappointment. Entry is free but we encourage Koha through our ACES Donation Portal on the day, to support our school. Mauri ora!

The Sport Academy project team is proud to announce that they will have a mixed team competing in the NZ Touch's Cox Bay tournament starting next week on Monday. A huge thank you to Karyl and the management team for supporting the cost of the kit and shoes, which makes community sport accessible for the students and is recognition for the work they have done in local primary schools, promoting sport. The project will be running a fundraiser which we will share about from Tim and Ezra in next week's ACES Weekly Buzz. Watch this space Whanau!

The ACES Annual Prizegiving is a highlight of our academic calendar, celebrating the hard work, dedication, and outstanding achievements of akonga. We're excited to look back at the success of last year's event and, more importantly, share the confirmed details for this year's celebration!

Flashback to ACES Prizegiving 2024: (Video link) A Resounding Success - Our prizegiving event successfully recognised a large number of our students across various disciplines, acknowledging not just academic excellence, but also contributions to the arts, sports, and leadership within our school.

We are thrilled to confirm the essential details for the 2025 ACES Prizegiving! Please mark your calendars and take note of the important information below:

ACES Prizegiving 2025

Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Venue: Tasman Room, Alexandra Conference Centre, Epsom

Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Because of our larger school roll this year and in order to provide for all students, whanau support will be restricted to one person per student as a general rule. Closer to the time there may be some pull outs etc which will allow for flexibility around openings, however please plan for one whanau member/caregiver only at this stage, to accompany their student.

An email has now been sent to all addresses on file, and RSVPs will be tracked closely. Updated information on RSVPs and tables will be notified through this newsletter.

If you have not already please update your best contact email with Roopu Tutor, Campus leader or calling ACES on 0800 020 378 0r 09 302 0426

Friday Oct 31 - Deadline Campus Award Nominations.

Wed Nov 5 - Half Day (Awards Finalisation).

Thurs Nov 27 - Final Projects and Electives day students.

Mon Dec 1 - Fri Dec 5 - ACES Exhibition Week and self direction for students not working on event.

Mon Dec 8 - Campus whakawhanaungatanga.

Tues Dec 9 - Campus whakawhanaungatanga.

Wed Dec 10 - ACES Prizegiving and 25 Year Celebration.

Thurs Dec 11 - Final Half day (Leavers Breakfast). School Holidays commence.

Mon Dec 15, Tues Dec 16 and Wed Dec 17 - Drivers Licence Courses (Tuakana) & 75 K Road move.

Wed Dec 17 Last day Maungawhau Campus move (before commercial cleaners come in).

Thurs Dec 18 Commercial cleaners in at Maungawhau.

If you are a local Auckland business keen to connect or advertise, we are looking for the right Partner to join ACES on our learning waka. Contact me on 021 913576 or thelo@aces.school.nz for a confidential chat.

If you would like to contribute directly today to the ACES Mahi in a small or larger way, please feel to click here.